B R E A K I N G C H A I N S
by ImaginationStation00
Summary: Katniss is a popular Victor. Katniss is the most popular Victor to be exact. She is bound by heavy chains to a new life of prostitution thanks to Snow. It doesn't matter if she had a relationship or not with Peeta. He's dead and Snow's not happy with her little berry stunt. How's this going to affect the Victory Tour, her new lifestyle and Gale's admittance of his love for Katniss?


Hullo All. Here is my new story BREAKING CHAINS... ooh, Scary. Okay basically in a shorter summation, this story is about Katniss falling for Gale at the same time as she is beginning to being forced to into prostitution... To keep Gale safe from Snow.

The first three or four chapters are going to be really tiny because I am trying some new formatting type thingy. Oh and by really tiny, I mean considerably medium sized.

Love ya'll.

Disclaimer: May the odds ever be in my flavor? No. Why not? Because my mind isn't as brilliant as Suzanne Collins... it doesn't have enough flavor.

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BREAKING CHAINS

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IN THE CAPITOL

"You can't really think that I would do that!" I say in complete refusal.

"Oh, but you will. Miss Everdeen, you fought so hard in the Games. Why would you undo all that hard work just for this?"

"Why should I do it? How come I have to do it?" I ask angrily. I probably shouldn't use this tone right now, but the idea of me, being a… a- it's just too hard to wrap my head around.

"You'll do it because you want to ensure the safety of your loved ones."

"Why are you doing this to me?" I cry, putting my head in my hands. "Why put them into this mess. I know it's my fault, but please, please don't hurt them."

"I saw what you did Miss Everdeen. You think you were clever and you think you out smarted me. But Katniss dear, now you'll do whatever I say because no matter if you like it or not, I have even more power over you than before. Now more than ever."

"The thing is, I don't know a lot about this sort of behavior." I admit sadly.

"I've arranged for you to meet someone who deals with things like this. It's an honor Miss Everdeen, to be this popular among the Capitol people. Try to enjoy the attention."

"As long as Gale and Prim are safe."

"Hmm." He hummed. "And word of advice… They tend to pay more when you leave your manners at the door."

"This is for your benefit, isn't it?" I growl but still remain in my seat.

"This is for Panem's benefit. But it is also for your own good." Really what he means is that this is what's going to keep me in line, and from doing anything else harmful to the weak government he's trying to run.

"When do I have to start?" I ask him flatly.

"I'll have someone meet with you tomorrow before your interview."

"Thank you President Snow," The words burned my tongue and my next words dripped with acid. "for your generosity."

"You're welcome. Now if you'll excuse me." Snow stands up and brings his stark white handkerchief to his mouth. He coughs twice and brings his hand down. Before the doors close behind him I see three specks of crimson red blood.

IN DISTRICT TWELVE

This viewing of the finale, supposedly happened last night. I had the possibility of not watching my friends death live. Truth was, i'd rather see it live than see it happen after. Wouldn't anyone? The Mellark's certainly agree with me. The district was buzzing with talk. Many people from the Seam were happy and getting together with friends and neighbors to celebrate the return of our Victor. But in the Town many friends and families we're mourning a huge loss: first runner up Peeta Mellark. I wasn't one to complain about the envious feelings going around them because of his death though. I had whined on to many, especially my brothers about how terrible it would be if Katniss sacrificed herself for Peeta at the end because of his pathetic leg infection.

I was so happy she won I barely heard Claudius Templesmith announce that because of her minor injuries the Victor Interview would be broadcasted tonight.

I was so happy she was alive that I barely thought about what she must be feeling right now.

My mood dampened considerably. She and Peeta we're in love. It didn't matter that he was gone now. She would be distraught over his death and wouldn't ever move on. And I have a feeling the President wouldn't want her to either.

I was upset now. How could I have changed her fate? Come on Gale, think. I smacked my forehead with my hand. Aw, this was getting frustrating. There was nothing I could do. She would look heartless to Panem if I just appeared in her life after her alleged lover's passing.

"Gale, she won." Madge says in awe. I've been watching the Games from the square and Madge found me one evening near the beginning of the Games and has sat with me every day since.

"I knew she could, I just didn't think any of this would happen to her." I admit to her.

"I'm going to miss Peeta." Madge says forlornly. "He loved Katniss so much. I wonder how she's going to cope."

"I know. Me too." I lie.

"Well, I have to go home now. I'll see you later tonight, maybe?" She says.

I don't respond but she knows the answer.

IN THE CAPITOL

"What did he say, sweetheart?" Haymitch approaches me suddenly.

"He'll kill my family if I don't cooperate." I say flatly. All emotion that I have is long gone. In one word, I am a prostitute. Snow has taken my 'beauty', my 'popularity', my 'innocence', my body and given it to the people of the Capitol.

For money. How despicable I'm going to seem to everyone back home.

"Oh sweetheart, I'm so," Haymitch pulls me in for a hug. I yank myself out of his grip and stare at him. How can he be sorry for me? He doesn't know what it's like. He can't relate to me or mentor me out of this problem. I basically caused my own un-happiness.

This is what it's like to be impulsive and irresponsible and arrogant. I thought my competition was arrogant. I was wrong. "Save it, you drunk. I don't want to hear it." I stalk off to my room.

Later that day I hear a knock on my bedroom door. I get up from my bed and open it. On my way to the door I stop by the full length mirror and straighten my dove grey cashmere sweater from Cinna and my hair which is in a jumbled, tangled braid.

When Cinna gave me the top he looked at me and said simply: "I understand. And to support him you'll wear this. A Phoenix. The fire bird that rises up from the ashes." I'm guessing my new dull wardrobe symbolized the ashes.

It more or less made me match the air back in my district. And thankfully that's all I wanted to do after the Games. I wanted to blend in. But Cinna explained the plan to me: my wardrobe was going to intensify over the Victory Tour. I just wanted to blend in and try and forget about the Games. But no.

"I'm not in the mood for a lecture, Haymitch. And I'm not going to apologize." I say from the other side of the door. No one replies. I unlatch the door but still don't open it. Is Haymitch giving me the silent treatment? I shrug and go back to hop in bed when I hear another _rap tap tap _on the door. "Come in, it's unlocked." I say, partially into my pillow.

I hear the door open and close, but nobody approaches me. I sit up and turn around and come face to face with a tall dark haired man in black clothing standing by the door. "Um, hello. Who are you?" I inquire rather rudely. Not that I care.

"Pleasure to meet you too, Miss Everdeen, I'm Dex." Dex responds sarcastically. He walks over to the edge of my bed and sits uncomfortably close. And then,

He winks.

"Don't call me by my surname." I demand, appalled by his behavior, and the abruptness of it. I lean away from him grandly and mockingly.

"Katniss then? Or shall I call you by a higher name? Phlegethon, because of your flowing spirit like the river of fire? How about Alecto? Because you avoided death and have clearly paid the price for it."

Who was this man they called Dex? Why was he here in my room when I had not asked for his company? He clearly needed help because I was getting major 'crazy' vibes from him. I scowled at him _and_ his pathetic names. "Just Katniss will do." I tell him demeaningly, nodding my head real slow so he understands.

"Good because those two were all I got." He exhales and his face lights up in a natural way. He looks kind of like Gale… just happier. That's unfair. Gale deserves happiness too. Maybe at least now that I've got money, we can stop hunting and then,

Stop hunting?! We have to though, Snow will surely execute Gale if he finds out, and I can't just conspicuously leave the district anymore. Damn Snow. I'm bound by heavy chains to him and his rules and his games now.

"Who are you?" I question, getting up from the bed and backing up away from him.

"I guess this is going to be awkward then." Dex says. "I don't know if President Snow told you but," I tune the rest out because I remember why I'm cranky again. Dex is the person Snow was talking about. I hang my head.

"Hello? Earth to Astraea."

"Hmm, what?" I look up at Dex from under my eyelashes.

"I'm here to help you in any way that I can." _You can't help me._ I'm trapped, like a single fish in a glass bowl on top of a wobbling pedestal. _The only way I want help is going to be help for overthrowing Snow. You up for it?_

I don't know how." I begin, throat thick with emotion. I despairingly look up at the ceiling and clarify: "I don't know what to do." For some reason I blush. It's natural to not know any of this, but in Dex's presence, I feel like I should know. "Can you teach me?" I internally groan.

I really can't believe I'm doing this. It's for Gale and Prim though. Snow's probably watching me right now to see that I learn enough so that I don't disappoint my customers.

"I'm going to have to ask Snow to refund me some of my money then." Dex tells me begrudgingly.

"Why?"

"Because I also happen to be your first customer."

I really can't believe I'm doing this. "I'm sorry." I tell him truthfully. I don't want to say it, but I know that the Seam qualities ingrained in me are going to show through out this exchange. Somehow I know President Snow is going to be ecstatic if I say this. And I know he'll harm someone if I don't." "I can make it up to you."

"You don't have to." He assures me. Could see the lie right through me? Is he being sincere? My emotions are being toyed with here. I know now more than ever that the Capitol is fickle. I can't trust anyone here.

"Can I trust you Dex?" I plead with my eyes. I'm hoping that I can trust him. _I'm not going to be affected by his answer. _I tell myself. But truth is, I really think I might be. This is new for me and I'm going to need a teacher. I just feel terrible because he's my first real… you know.

"God, when you said my name," He whispers. I don't know if he meant that for me to hear or if he just said that for himself, I still stare at him like he's a lunatic.

"Yes you can Aphrodite. Approach." He answers honestly and seductively. On instinct my hands reach behind my head for an arrow. They're not there of course, so I slowly and subtly bring my hands back down so that I don't look crazy.

I do laugh a little when I step closer to Dex. He lets me sit down again on the bed and he tells me that to do what I have to do, no words are needed. "Hold on, Dex?" I pause and push him away from me slightly. He had begun to lean in towards me.

"No, no more words Katniss. You will do what I say now." Dex says in a completely different voice then when he first entered the room. Peitharchia be with you." He says and dives for my neck.

"Who's that?" I ask him and push him off of me again. When he looks into my eyes they are black, and unreadable. I don't understand it and I immediately assume the worst. Have I upset my client, and therefore my agreement with Snow? Oh no. "I'm sorry Dex." I tell him.

He laughs airily and his eyes turn green. Normal. I breathe a breath of relief. "No, it's fine. She's the spirit of obedience. I told you could trust me, you know." He says reading my, I guess obvious, expression. I smile sheepishly and don't retreat from his lips when they come in to touch mine.

I'm disgusted with myself, but I'm doing it for a reason. And I think it won't be so bad with Dex being my first. He is around my age… maybe Gale's. Maybe the guilt will lessen if I think its Gale whose fingers are clawing at my shirt. Nope.

"I know." I surrender to Dex. "But one more thing?" Dex looks up exasperatingly. "Sorry. I'm a little nervous." He laughs. "You have got to stop with the Mythology shit." I suggest pretty passively. I learned a bit about in school. I was never as good as Dex was. Heck he's probably the most knowledgeable at it in the Capitol. It's better than someone whose interest is shopping. Bleh! That's horrendous.

"Never." He jokes, feigning shock. Then he goes back to telling me the proper way to seduce. There is no pain coming from this whole experience with Dex. No physical nor emotional.

The pain will probably hit once I have to start dealing with 'real' clients. The pain will probably hit once Dex leaves.

IN DISTRICT TWELVE

I do not want to watch the interview in the square. So I go to the Everdeen's new home and turn the same style television from my home on without havoc. "She won a hard fight, folks. She was determined, she was brave, she was in love. And she's here right now. Ladies and Gentlemen, the Victor of the 75th Annual Hunger Games, Katniss Everdeen."

The roar from the screen was deafening. I struggle to turn it down without screaming in pain. My ears are still ringing even after I got it to a considerably lower volume. I sit unceremoniously onto their stiff couch and watch with a scowl as my Katniss took a seat next to Caesar. She hugs him warmly, and I saw red. Caesar was never this close with any other tributes or Victors. What was so special about Katniss?

I observe Katniss. I haven't seen her fully clothed or fed for a few days now, and well, she looks different again. She looks made-up again. She's back in her stylist's hands and he makes her look like a woman. Not the sixteen year old girl I know. There's something off putting about her appearance that I can't locate. Yes she's wearing a tight black top fitting dress that pans out innocently in a fiery flame.

Wait.

That's not innocent.

Caesar notices this as well… unfortunately. "Katniss, I love your dress." He smiles endearingly and it makes me sick.

"I do too. Want to hear the story behind it? I designed it myself." She asks politely. She sounds like she hasn't just experienced the love of her life dying.

"Sure." Caesar replies unsurely. Everyone just wants to know how she's feeling about Peeta's death; why is she procrastinating?

"Black is for mourning. Not just for Peeta but for all the tributes. And the flames at my feet well, the Gamemakers can explain that one for you." She winks in the general direction of the head Gamemaker. "You can try to make the flames ruin my image, but look at this beautiful face." She calls out to then in the most patronizing voice I've ever heard. I'm proud of her; but this over confident Katniss is going to get her in huge trouble.

"That's very symbolic dear. How has the mourning been going for you? Are you alright?" _Caesar, she looks more than alright._

I still can't decipher what's so different about her. She has this new glow about her that just makes her seem so new. Did the Capitol do that to her? "Caesar, in all honesty, I am fine." The crowd lets out a gasp. I find solace in that answer, Catnip. This means she can move on from Peeta's death. She can love me. I'm willing to pick up the broken pieces. I'm willing.

While I do still care about Katniss' feelings for Peeta, I am angered by his actions that have unfortunately been placed in my mind. Katniss was innocent when it came to things such as boys. Her feelings that were caring had been dormant up until she kissed Peeta in the cave I'm guessing.

But it wasn't really that, that bothered me. It was that she had her first kiss with Peeta in the cave. I had always thought I was the most important man in her life. I guess I can't really take hold over her like that, but still. It was comforting to know that she only saw me… it gave me more of a fighting chance. If she wouldn't end up with me, her best friend. She would never end up with anybody else.

Where did I go wrong?

I guess she was desperate to have a boyfriend before she died. But she's alive now. That's the reason. The alternative is- I refuse to believe the alternative. That she had something with him before, that she did have feelings for him.

I shuddered. "I knew Peeta from one incident when we were children and he was so kind to me. When we were both in the Arena, I couldn't help but repay his kindness. He died happily, and that puts my heart at peace."

"Katniss." Caesar leans over and pats her hand. "How about we talk about you're new hobby?" he suggests. Katniss looks grateful for the change in topic.

"Yes." She says rubbing her hands together. "Mythology. Greek Mythology. Roman gods and all of that." I was drawn to her new hobby… Until her face turned red.

"That's excellent Katniss. Now onto the recap." And the three hour showing off the past few weeks commenced.

And I could only wonder why she had blushed like that.

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Yay or nay? Tell me if it's good so far. Review... PM...


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